What are my chances with Bipolar and OCD?

[dogluvver1256]

So here's where I am at right now...

I just withdrew from my sophomore year of college and didn't do too hot my freshman year. My freshman year of college my GPA was low (3.104) and included two C's, but I gathered a lot of extracurriculars (3 clubs) and some volunteering (about 50 hours), plus I'm in the honors program.

This year I ran into some issues with my mental health when I attempted suicide and had to be hospitalized for a couple days. I was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 2 in addition to OCD and general anxiety disorder, because of my poor mental health I withdrew from school and am currently working as a nurse assistant while I work with a psychologist to get my bipolar under control. I am also still volunteering and in the coming semester I will be taking an online class to see how I can handle school.

I am confident in my abilities to get my GPA up to at least 3.6-3.7. I also will continue with my volunteering and plan to begin shadowing and getting involved in research. I also would like to take on some leadership roles in clubs I am involved in on campus. I have also considered getting a masters in public health before applying to medical school.

My dream as always been to become a doctor because I find the human body fascinating and I also have a big heart, plus I like being in charge. My fear is that I have ruined my chances of getting into any medical school (MD or DO). And I'm also concerned that even if I could get in I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of the job or the stress of medical school. Any thoughts on my "situation" are welcome!!

Thanks in advance.

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[j4pac]

I'm not going lie to you...it would be a significant risk for both you and the school. Med school is incredibly stressful for those without anxiety disorders and OCD. Not to mention the potential for a manic break. You need to think long and hard about this. You could potentially lose tons of money and so much more if you get yourself into something you aren't ready. Either way I wish you the best of luck.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

Unless your medication can completely control your symptoms, it's seriously not in your best interest to go to medical school. If you do decide to apply, there's nothing forcing you to disclose your illness, so I don't see how they would be able to hold that against you.

 

[deleted480308]

I would view you academic history as a bigger hindrance to getting in than your medical history. It's a reach to just assume you can start getting all A's out of nowhere.

But as a human, medical school is a huge stressor on students. We have avg rates of depression/suicide coming in and significantly higher coming out...for your own health, please investigate if something else can make you happy.

 

[alpinism]

Agree with the above.

Sorry to be a dower. But, its good to get a realistic opinion before its too late.

Med school can be incredibly stressful and many students who were perfectly healthy develop mental health issues. You'd be taking a huge risk and there's a good chance your symptoms could return even worse.

I'll say this: If you can get your Bipolar and GAD *completely* under control and manage a couple years of good grades with then it might be okay.

I'd also consider PA schools.

 

[DaMedDude]

Stability is an needed characteristic in a physician as well as for success in medical school. Stress management is essential. If you can "hide" these issues of yours from admissions committees and get your GPA up and do well on the MCAT than sure you could get in. However, from the very short description of yourself you have provided, I would say that you should not go into medicine.

 

[Boolean]

Concur with the above.

My dream as always been to become a doctor because I find the human body fascinating and I also have a big heart, plus I like being in charge. My fear is that I have ruined my chances of getting into any medical school (MD or DO). And I'm also concerned that even if I could get in I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of the job or the stress of medical school. Any thoughts on my "situation" are welcome!!

Thanks in advance.

This is worrying. Most (if not all) of your medical practicing (depending on specialty) will not have you being in charge. You will be organizing people, sure, but you will always have someone above you, unless you open your own practice.

 

[Goro]

I'd want to see documentation from your psychiatrist that you can handle the crucible of medical school.


Also, Medicine is a team sport these days.

 

[sylvi]

I'm bipolar and am starting medical school this summer. I work at a major research hospital, where my boss and all of my coworkers know and not once has anyone held it against me. (I understand this isn't the case everywhere and that I am lucky, but I just want to throw something hopeful into the mix here.) I was hospitalized there as well, and every MD I've gone to there has said that they know multiple physicians with bipolar or other mental illnesses, and told me not to be discouraged. Mental illness is still VERY poorly understood and unfortunately stigma exists. But being bipolar absolutely does NOT, in and of itself, preclude you from becoming a physician. To echo a point many made above, yes, it is crucial that you gain as much stability as possible before attempting medical school. It is crucial that you have a treatment team and support system in place where you go to school. And it is crucial that you have some track record of being able to work and succeed academically despite your condition.

Medical school IS stressful, but as my psychiatrist so often points out, it's not going to be nearly as bad as having dealt with undertreated bipolar disorder. You have gone through some true, SERIOUS struggle. I got into med school with undiagnosed, untreated bipolar disorder, and I can say that the getting into med school half of that equation was a joke compared to the latter half. Yes, be realistic - know that you need to work harder than everyone else to take care of yourself and buffer yourself from stressors. Maybe take that into consideration down the line when selecting a specialty. But please don't listen to anyone who says you shouldn't be a doctor because you're bipolar.

 

[sylvi]

OH - my school knows about my condition as well. I didn't discuss it in my application, obviously, but for other reasons disclosed later on and they have been nothing but supportive. Just wanted to give you some hope.

 

[Mad Jack]

I would not recommend medical school for you even if your chances were good. Medical school can turn a person without underlying mental health issues into a suicidal mess. You would be putting yourself at substantial risk of serious relapse. I would not consider it until you have at least 4 or 5 years of stable mental health.

 

[I'm a barbie girl]

Hi! I have a similar story to yours, except I did not withdraw from school. My freshman year in college, I didn't perform very well, and I was struggling with an undiagnosed mental illness that was exacerbated by personal trauma. At the end of my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with bipolar type II. I began medication, and I had some serious side effects. I became very physically ill for my finals sophomore year, and I got Cs on most of them. My GPA at that point was 3.23 because I had a lot of ups and downs that made it difficult to focus and excel academically. I had already taken 80 credits, so I was pessimistic about improving my grades enough to apply to medical school or become a physician, which was my dream. However, the summer after sophomore year, I finally became more stable taking quetiapine (seroquel), and I was in regular counseling. I took a "Dialectical Behavioral Therapy" class during the fall, which complemented my treatment tremendously, and provided me with skills for coping with life and school stressors. During my "junior" year, I took a total of 38 credits and earned a 3.78 GPA, which brought my overall GPA to 3.52. I graduated in three years from Johns Hopkins University, and I am currently applying to medical school.
I recognize that my mental illness is a constant struggle, and it is something I work to treat and fight each day of my education and life. In my personal statement, I wrote about challenges that I've overcome and accomplishments throughout my life. I talked freely about my experience with Bipolar Disorder, and the strength I show in my ability to overcome the adversity and continue to succeed. In secondary applications, when I am asked about my unique qualities, I explain that my experiences, including with mental illness, give me an unparalleled empathy for patients and other people.
Overall, I'm sure you're aware of the mental, physical, and psychological demands of medical school, but only you can determine if you feel ready to go. After you feel stable and you feel you have enough support and treatment, you can decide if medical school is something you can and want to do. I have been "disqualified" from some medical schools because of the disclosure of my mental illness, and because of the ignorance and stigma that surrounds it. But, I will get into several more progressive schools, and I will make an excellent doctor. You could too!

 

[md-2020]

1. Priority: mental health










2. Medical school.

The pre med and med school path is brutal, keep that in mind. The fact that you've already attempted suicide as a college freshman is worrying IMHO

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Please don't listen to all the people telling you that it doesn't sound like you can handle med school. Complete nonsense, they don't know you. In order to get back on track academically (or achieve anything else) you already know you're going to have to get a handle on your disorders through medication, therapy, self-reflection and hard work. If you are able to do this, there is absolutely no reason why you wouldn't be able to get through medical school. Everyone experiences self-doubt, and that goes doubly for those who have struggled with mental illness. Now that you have diagnoses and know what you're dealing with, there is no reason why you can't follow your passions and enter a challenging field once everything else is under control.

My best friend has Bipolar Type I (the much more severe version) and struggled immensely with it, but was able to find a balance and achieve a great deal, withstanding plenty of stress. Maybe this will happen easily for you, maybe it won't. I'm sure that you'll find this out when you get back on track in school. One step at a time, take on only what you can handle, but please do not prematurely abandon your dream because of a mental disorder.

edit: Just saw this is an old-ish thread. Hopefully the OP got to see some of the more encouraging comments and stories

 

[Goro]

Unfortunately, you have an n of 1. My clinical colleagues and I have n's much higher than that, and we've seen the tragic results.

Wishful thinking is not helpful.

Please don't listen to all the people telling you that it doesn't sound like you can handle med school. Complete nonsense, they don't know you. In order to get back on track academically (or achieve anything else) you already know you're going to have to get a handle on your disorders through medication, therapy, self-reflection and hard work. If you are able to do this, there is absolutely no reason why you wouldn't be able to get through medical school. Everyone experiences self-doubt, and that goes doubly for those who have struggled with mental illness. Now that you have diagnoses and know what you're dealing with, there is no reason why you can't follow your passions and enter a challenging field once everything else is under control.

My best friend has Bipolar Type I (the much more severe version) and struggled immensely with it, but was able to find a balance and achieve a great deal, withstanding plenty of stress. Maybe this will happen easily for you, maybe it won't. I'm sure that you'll find this out when you get back on track in school. One step at a time, take on only what you can handle, but please do not prematurely abandon your dream because of a mental disorder.

edit: Just saw this is an old-ish thread. Hopefully the OP got to see some of the more encouraging comments and stories

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Unfortunately, you have an n of 1. My clinical colleagues and I have n's much higher than that, and we've seen the tragic results.

Wishful thinking is not helpful.

Nowhere in my post did I say that because my friend made it work he will to. The OP is years away from potentially applying, and one of those posters told him that "it's seriously not in your best interest to go to medical school". That is complete bull***. All my post said was that giving up hope at this point is absolutely premature. That is not wishful thinking in any way shape or form. Now implying that someone who was just diagnosed with GAD and Bipolar II probably won't be able to get it together enough to ever be a doctor, THAT is neither helpful nor accurate.

 

[gyngyn]

Nowhere in my post did I say that because my friend made it work he will to. The OP is years away from potentially applying, and one of those posters told him that "it's seriously not in your best interest to go to medical school". That is complete bull***. All my post said was that giving up hope at this point is absolutely premature. That is not wishful thinking in any way shape or form. Now implying that someone who was just diagnosed with GAD and Bipolar II they probably won't be able to get it together enough to ever be a doctor, THAT is neither helpful nor accurate.

I have lived through medical student suicides with these diagnoses. The destruction that students do to themselves and others is complicated by challenges like OP's. Only years of successful management and evidence of resilience will support a medical career. It is not impossible but it is no exaggeration that it is a much greater challenge.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

I have lived through medical student suicides with these diagnoses. The destruction that students do to themselves and others is complicated by challenges like OP's. Only years of successful management and evidence of resilience will support a medical career. It is not impossible but it is a greater challenge.

I agree completely. I was objecting to the implication that as soon as you get these diagnoses you have to immediately give up on pursuing a high-stress career. There were several posters who said exactly this. Of course anyone in this situation has to put their safety first and make sure that they can handle a great deal of work and stress over the long-term, but there's no reason why the OP can't do this, or at the very least find out. Having a bunch of med students and doctors say, "Sorry, find a new career" really bites.

 

[gyngyn]

I agree completely. I was objecting to the implication that as soon as you get these diagnoses you have to immediately give up on pursuing a high-stress career. There were several posters who said exactly this. Of course anyone in this situation has to put their safety first and make sure that they can handle a great deal of work and stress over the long-term, but there's no reason why the OP can't do this, or at the very least find out. Having a bunch of med students and doctors say, "Sorry, find a new career" really bites.

Especially on an anonymous internet forum.
That is why realistic personalized decision-making is important.
Neither "rah rah you can do it", nor "end all hope" is reliably correct.

 

[Goro]

Good reading skills are very important for the MCAT and med school. The previous posters did not say "give it up", but mostly "be very careful because med school is difficult enough as it is".

I agree completely. I was objecting to the implication that as soon as you get these diagnoses you have to immediately give up on pursuing a high-stress career. There were several posters who said exactly this. Of course anyone in this situation has to put their safety first and make sure that they can handle a great deal of work and stress over the long-term, but there's no reason why the OP can't do this, or at the very least find out. Having a bunch of med students and doctors say, "Sorry, find a new career" really bites.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

Good reading skills are very important for the MCAT and med school. The previous posters did not say "give it up", but mostly "be very careful because med school is difficult enough as it is".

Your condescending posts are funny when you're bringing the hammer down on someone who was thoughtlessly running their mouth. When you're wrong though, it reflects quite poorly on you:

Unless your medication can completely control your symptoms, it's seriously not in your best interest to go to medical school.

However, from the very short description of yourself you have provided, I would say that you should not go into medicine.

You think those posts are words of caution, and not telling the OP to give up? You could make a weak argument for the first post actually being a caution, except that no one ever gets their symptoms COMPLETELY under control, nor would that have to rid any trace of the disorder to function in a high-stress job. I don't know how the OP could possibly read those posts and not think that he should give up.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

You think those posts are words of caution, and not telling the OP to give up? You could make a weak argument for the first post actually being a caution, except that no one ever gets their symptoms COMPLETELY under control, nor would that have to rid any trace of the disorder to function in a high-stress job. I don't know how the OP could possibly read those posts and not think that he should give up.

Control does not mean elimination of symptoms, and yes, it is possible to get your symptoms completely under control. That's not even a point of discussion.

 

[j4pac]

Med school, residency, and thereafter...it's all tough. And the truth of the matter is that the average person couldn't do it...they'd crack. I have a strong suspicion that the people on this forum cheering the OP on are people who either haven't been through the rigors or people with poor insight. The slew of previously healthy people who have developed a DSM-diagnosis during their path to becoming a physician (or while a physician) are sweating bullets for this guy.